Highlights

Google is shutting down Allo messaging app next week

Android Messages app for Android now takes input via your voice

Google Assistant is coming to Android Messages. This means that Android phone users will now able to use Google Assistant to input information to text messages. In addition to that Google has also brought about support for seven new Indic languages to the Assistant. The languages are — Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Urdu. With the coming of new local Indian languages, users will be able to speak in their mother language to the Google Assistant. That’s not it as Google has also brought multilingual support to make the Google Assistant capable of understanding other languages and let everyone use the Assistant widely.

To recollect, in the past, Google had brought Assistant integrated within Allo chat app, but now that Allo is dying next month, the search giant has decided to integrate the Assistant with Android Message. With the Assistant support, Google is gearing up to bring the same smart texting experience to Android Messages app. The good bit is Android Messages comes pre-loaded with most Android smartphones which means more and more users will be able to experience the Assistant related messaging features.

Google Assistant Comes to Messages

In a blog post, Google notes that in the months to come to the Android Messages app will start showing message related suggestions directly from Google Assistant. The message suggestion will be related to movies, restaurants, weather, among others. The company has also noted that Assistant support for Android Messages will be initially limited to English users only. Interested users will be able to access Google Assistant in the Android Messages app by tapping on the suggestion chips which will be available right below their messages. Notably, the suggestion chips are said to be based on the thread. Basically, on taping the suggestion clips, the Android Messages app will open the Google Assistant and inform users with the relevant information.

In addition, Google is also bringing new Indian languages support to the Assistant like Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Urdu. Last year the Google Assistant received Marathi and Hindi language support.

Additionally, Google is bringing a Voice Typing feature to KaiOS. The Voice typing feature basically allows Google Assistant to translate speech to text directly from a feature phone like the JioPhone for example. Commenting on the initiative Google Assistant Vice President Manuel Bronstein notes in a blog post, “With the cursor in the right field, you can press and hold the Assistant button on your phone and use your voice to dictate your text messages, web searches or anything else that has a text field.”

Sketching the roadmap Bronstein also noted, “In the coming months, developers will be able to release their Actions on Android 9 Pie (Go edition) and KaiOS devices so entry-level smartphone and feature phone owners can access more locally relevant experiences.”

Chakri is a go-to guy for your next smartphone recommendation. Back in his engineering days, he used to play with smartphones by installing custom ROMs and that passion got him into the tech industry. He still goes nuts about a smartphone knocking his door for review. Currently managing everything at Telecom Talk, Chakri is trying to master PUBG Mobile in his free time.